Shell Advance Ultra 4’s tailored blend of lubricant
plays a key role for Ducati in lubricating the engine’s
rotating and oscillating parts and the constantly moving
components of the gearbox.

Shell says that the oil has been optimized to deliver
maximum performance and liberate new power, while
maintaining its protection properties throughout each
session on the track.

Of course, engine reliability is a key marker in the
success of Ducati Corse.

The Shell technical partnership with Ducati began in
1999 and the pairing achieved immediate success and fame
that same year when Ducati won the World Superbike
Championship.

In 2003, the technical partnership was renewed and
expanded to include MotoGP. Just four years later,
Ducati took the triple MotoGP World titles (riders’,
manufacturers’ and team) and in January 2008, Shell and
Ducati signed a new agreement through until the end of
2011.

“Firstly, it is designed to reduce
friction in order to increase power, secondly, it
maintains gearbox performance and thirdly and perhaps
most importantly, it has to protect the moving parts,
all to ensure the bike is reliable and reaches the
finish line, ideally in first place!”

It takes a good engine lubricant to achieve just the
right balance of these characteristics, while ensuring
the bike’s performance is optimized, no energy is wasted
and maximum power is delivered by the engine. The
implementation of a mix of highly effective 'friction
modifiers' in the latest blends of Shell Advance has
allowed the Desmosedici to produce even more horsepower,
just by changing the oil.

“Lubricant is critical,” continues Knaak.
“Shell Advance Ultra 4 motorcycle oil plays an integral
role in powering and protecting the Ducati engine.
It has been optimized to deliver maximum performance and
liberate new power, while keeping the engine clean.
All of these characteristics can now be found in Shell
motorcycle oil for the road, which is developed from the
learning Shell makes on track.”

Ducati Desmosedici Engine Oil Anti-Friction Blends and
Additives

In the age of the limited fuel tank size, maximizing
fuel efficiency has also become the most important goal
for Shell and Ducati in MotoGP.

Fuel efficiency and power can be in direct opposition
to each other, so the challenge for the Shell
technicians is to meet this fuel economy goal while
balancing the delivery of performance. The latest
version of Shell Advance racing oil has been optimized
to work with Shell V-Power race fuel, with the aim of
reducing fuel consumption and maximizing power output
from the bike.

Shell has an entire team dedicated to the Ducati
Corse effort. “At Shell we have a team dedicated
to tailoring Shell Advance engine oil for the Ducati
Desmosedici,” says Knaak.

“The team has grown significantly in recent years. In
2008, 12 chemists, engineers and technicians will
contribute to Shell’s technical partnership with Ducati.
These same people are also tasked with developing
motorcycle oil for the road, so that new technology can
be transferred quickly.”

Development of race oil for Ducati is a complex
process. The Shell engineers start with a
pre-candidate oil and modify it at their laboratory in
Hamburg, Germany, to produce a Shell Advance race oil
candidate.

The development process ensures that the oil
candidate has the exact qualities desired for the race
bikes. Following this, the oil is passed to Ducati Corse
for testing on the Borgo Panigale test bench, from which
successful candidates are supplied to the team for
testing on the track. Only when Shell and Ducati
Corse’s engineers are fully satisfied with an oil
candidate, the new blend is used in competition.

wBWVideo: Desmosedici GP8 Engine Lubrication Animation

Video Description

The ‘camera’
approaches the Ducati Desmosedici GP8 bike.

It enters the bike
from the bottom end part of the chassis.

The ‘camera’ enters
the crankcase of the engine.

Shell Advance oil
plays a key role for Ducati in lubricating the
engine’s rotating and oscillating parts and the
constantly moving components of the gearbox.

The ‘camera’ moves to
the crankshaft, showing the big end bearing and the
crank webs being flushed with oil. The crankshaft is
then fully covered by oil.

Friction is reduced
and moving parts are lubricated and protected,
ensuring engine reliability and power increase.
The implementation of a mix of highly effective
'friction modifiers' in the latest blends of Shell
Advance has allowed the Desmosedici to produce more
horsepower.

The ‘camera’ follows
the lubricant up to the piston underside.

The lubricant is
sprayed by a jet towards the piston under crown for
piston cooling.

The piston is covered
with an oil film.

The ‘camera’ moves
back to the crankshaft and shows it from the side.

Friction is reduced
and moving parts are lubricated and protected and
the oil additionally cools the piston under the
crown.

The camera moves
outside of the cylinder towards the cylinder head.

Friction is reduced
and moving parts are lubricated and protected.

The desmodromic valve
train is covered with oil.

Friction is reduced
and moving parts are lubricated and protected.

The camera moves down
from the cylinder head, passing the oil covered
piston quickly towards the integrated gear box.
Shell Advance plays an integral role maintaining the
performance of the gearbox.

The camera moves to
the back of the gear box, showing the gear shift
drum at the top, which is being covered with an oil
film.

The “camera” exits the
engine, showing a fully lubricated engine. Shell
Advance plays an integral role in powering and
protecting the Ducati engine. It has been
optimized to deliver maximum performance and
liberate new power, while keeping the engine clean.
The Ducati Desmosedici GP8 bike departs.